From David Hale of ESPN:
Virginia Tech has outscored its last 3 opponents 137-20.
So far, Bud Foster's defense has allowed just 78 points in 5 games, and 37 of them (47%) have come off turnovers.
That may not put the Hokies in the driver's seat for the ACC Coastal, but they're certainly going to be a tough out.
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We also have led for 180 straight minutes of football. Pretty awesome. I love the way Fuente prepares his teams, but Syracuse has trap game written all over it. So next week, in my opinion, is another huge test.
But like he said, 12 one game seasons!
No doubt. But still, we're going to crush Syracuse. Drop another 60-burger on 'em.
Soon as we clean up those 0-0 stretches that are mixed in there, we'll be golden!
Whoops yeah guess I meant to say we haven't trailed.
That said, Miami is playing the first team with a pulse and are losing to a bad Florida state team.
Not seeing a lot to suggest Miami is truly back. I think we may have a good answer for them.
Dinich status: Heartbroken.
That hasn't stopped ESPN from proclaiming they are back for about 8 years running.
I know right? Who did they beat to earn that AP #10 Rank?
Eh, both FSU and Miami are top-25 good. Athletes all over the field, above average QB play, decent D.
Fsu has one of the worst defenses in the country don't they.
93rd in total defense, 79th in S&P+ coming into this week.
Yeah the stats look bad, but they have also played Ole Miss, UNC, and Louisville, three teams with very effective offenses. Also, while USF certainly isn't a good team, they have put up lots of points in all of their games.
So FSU's defense doesn't add up well, but I think this will settle down by season's end. The game against Wake next week should let us know how good they are. But then they play Clemson, so I think it'll get worse before it gets better.
Yeah, FSUs D is in a statistical bubble. It's an average D in the ACC at worst.
The S&P rankings take opponent strengths into account, to give a better picture than the simple "total yards allowed" rankings. They might be a little better than #79 by the end of the season, but I don't see the needle moving that much without some serious improvement.
Eh, rivalry game anything can happen. Da U still has lots of talent a decent coach, it would not be wise to write them off just yet.
Still getting no respect. Over on the Carolina websites, lots of comments blaming the weather, and saying they beat themselves because "VT isn't a good team". They are tearing their own players apart. Its pretty ugly. Don't think I've ever seen postings on TKP ripping apart the kids like that.
I've noticed a lot of fan bases are quick to disparage their own players in a loss. It's sad. It's simple minded pack mentality because it's easy to blame the kids. And if we aren't a good team then they must be god awful because we just took them to the woodshed. 31 points is a massive margin regardless of weather. Also, who gives a damn what they think? They are UNC. They shouldn't be good at football ever. They are irrelevant in my eyes.
Every fan base has the bad apples. There have been plenty of us to be quick to rip Motu, Stroman, or Gallo this season or last.
I was pretty pissed at Gallo after the second early snap, but I wasn't going to blast him on social media/forums. But you are right, I've seen a lot of people rip Motu and Stroman (I still don't understand this and always defend him).
He's won me over this season, but last year I didn't like his defense or special teams decisions
Stroman's going backwards on punt returns last year was a constant irritation. I didn't mind his play defensively.
It's not difficult to understand why many of us have ripped Stroman in the past. He's given up a lot of big plays on defense and has always been frustrating to watch on punt returns. However, his play the last few games has definitely made me regret the past criticism. If that guy's body were as big as his heart, or as tough as his guts, he'd be an all-world player. It's a shame that he just doesn't have the physical size to really play the way we'd like him to. Unfortunately, he'll always be at a disadvantage against teams with big, fast WR's.
I'll also add that I don't think there is anything wrong with criticizing players. As fans, it's what we do to keep ourselves entertained. It's part of football. What I was trying to say, was that I find it sad when people flat out start blaming players for losses and really dumping on them. It really shows a lack of knowledge about the game and it doesn't surprise me at all to have seen it on a UNCheat board.
Can't argue with that. I'm just glad we win football games again.
How good should VT be at basketball? -- Being dismissive of their ability seems petty.
Not trying to be petty. But I stand by the statement. Most of that fan base couldn't care less about their football team. Basketball is their cash cow and they know it and so does everyone else. Wasn't intentionally being dismissive but I don't think that's a good football team regardless.
I agree with your assessment of their fanbase. Maybe they're not great, but UNC is good at football. They are deserving of recognition of that, regardless of how their fanbase opines on the matter.
I'll go a step further... UNC is good because they actively break practically every rule in the book and openly flaunt that fact with no remorse. It's not like they're over there pouring money into the football program significantly raising the bar for the program as a whole like they gave done throughout the years in basketball. They just hire guys willing to look the other way while they cheat their way to the top and call it a day. Screw that
VT basketball is going about it a completely different way. We've overhauled our facilities from embarrassingly bad to legitimate ACC quality, and we've gone out and paid for coaches who put in the hard work to turn it around correctly.
Sure, both fan bases give the respective sports attention only when they feel like it, but if you compare the two I have much less of a problem with a school like VT being good at basketball right now than a school like UNC being good at football, because of the way they've gotten there.
Having been a Hokie basketball fan for exactly as long as I've been a Hokies football fan (1967), I can attest to the fact that there are some of us who don't just decide to pay attention "only when they feel like it". Sure, some years are better and more fun and exciting than others, but despite the perception that VT didn't care about the roundball until Buzz came to town, there have always been a core of dedicated fans out here, and I was, and still am, one of them.
VT was a basketball school back in the 70s and early 80s.
Yeah, we actually had to camp out for basketball tickets in the 80's (in January/February). Stole a metal trash can from Pritchard and started a fire to keep warm - had a lot of friends that night! My memory is a little foggy as to what we burned to keep the fire going.
Football was general admission - just show your ID and walk in. Games were actually fun and we did pretty well, although we were independent and didn't play a super tough schedule.
I was lucky enough to be a student while both Bruce Smith and Dell Curry were playing ball at VT.
And I was when Bobby Stevens and Dale Solomon and that crew were there. And it was fun watching Don Strock sling the rock.
Edit: For some reason (age?) I couldn't remember Alan Bristow's name when I posted this. Saw his face, his mop of hair, but...
It was a great fun with those teams of the late 70's. I still remember "Henson's Heave" and McGuire's Marquette team that won the NCAA play.
Yep, did that many times.
I also had a few beers with and played volleyball against Bruce Smith at our Sigma Nu backyard volleyball court during a summer session his senior year. That dude could sky!
Send link so I can revel in their misery
This was their game thread
click click
That is glorious. The average poster there seems very lost. Every other post is calling for a hold against us. lol I've counted 2 posters there who have any competence.
Edit: my favorite comment-
No it really is great. The entire 4th quarter I was thinking about coming back and reading the meltdown on that thread. Especially after what I had seen in the leadup to the game.
That was a lot of fun. Thank you for that.
That certainly was fun. According to them, we should be sending Ron Cherry a box of chocolates and all going to church tomorrow to thank the Almighty for sending us that hurricane just in time to play that game. I don't recall ever seeing such a collection of whiners all bunched up with their panties in a wad. Ha, stuff it cheaters!
TarHeelBob1 says it all about that fanbase
Now, I haven't checked the box score so I can't say for sure. But I don't think Mitch threw for over 400 yesterday.
Well he had a QBR of 5.7. So unless that's out if 6, I'm gonna say he's not heisman worthy.
David Pollack agrees with you
Do those baby blue jerseys come in mens?
That was hilarious especially the one guy who continuously blamed the weather and kept saying the game should never have been played that day. What a whiner
Love how they pretend that we wouldn't drop 50+ on them in normal conditions. Sure, they would score more, but the overall outcome wouldn't.
We would have been lighting up their below average defense in great weather.
I did notice that the weather was partly cloudy when the Hokies had the ball.
Ever since they hired Butch Davis, Carolina fans have just been the worst online. They had a massive influx of Wal-Mart fans that are more fair weathered than you will find anywhere else. Every single time we've beaten them they whine and bitch about the officiating. Going through their thread on Scout I believe they saw a hold on every damn offensive play we ran and every broken up pass was a PI. Not to mention they all believe we are gonna lose Fuente to Texas or LSU. Seriously sore losers the lot of them.
Maybe I was looking at different UNC sites, but I saw very few, if any, post-game "VT isn't a good team" comments (although I saw some prior to the game).
I did see lots of posts blaming the weather (although conversely very few before the game), Elijah Hood injured, the players, the coaches (poor game plan, poor play calling, poor motivation, poor preparation), the schedule, Bud Foster having extra time to prepare, the officials and so on. Pretty standard stuff after a loss. And a few, but very few, were lamenting the turnout.
There were even a few saying that, don't kid yourself, VT is a good team.
And if you don't think VT fans are capable of ripping kids, I've got two words for you:
Sean. Glennon.
^^^THIS. How some fans treated (and still treat) him is downright criminal.
And two more:
Andrew. Motuapuaka.
And three more:
Jeron Gouveia-Winslow
Gouviea is part of his last name.
I hadn't had my coffee yet, give me a pass -_-
Hey, I'm still trying to figure out if a hyphenated name counts as one or two words...
Brandon. Motley.
Mark. Leal.
Wait, am I doing this right?
Matt. Damon.
Jump. Shark.
Dwayne. Lawson.
Careful, he might transfer!
The Scout board was terrible. I believe that's where I saw the comment along the lines of "On a clean dry field, Heels win by 30."
When your "boards" are the Rivals board and the Scout board (who refer to each other as "that other site"), makes me appreciate TKP that much more. FAM.
Except, we are in the driver's seat.
Well there is Virginia too - they are undefeated in ACC play so they also... also... bwahaha sorry I thought I could say it with a straight face.
And check out that points against number.
More points against VT in ACC play than fans at the LOLUVA spring football sugar cookie extravaganza.
I'm dying. Have all my legs
I dunno about you all but sign me right on up for a football sugar cookie extravaganza
Are sugar cookies taking the place of cupcakes? Because I'm not ok with this.
I would enjoy nothing more than UVA surging to enter Lane with a 7-0 ACC record. Followed by:
^^^^this...it won't happen, but it'd sure make for a hell of a night game in Lane!!!
Nah. More like this:
Defense throws them off the Hell in a Cell.
Offense hits 'em with the Curb Stomp.
Even the author of that chart somewhat agrees the Tennessee game never happened. We're 3-0 at home, 1-0 on the road. 4-0. Undefeated. I like it!
Neutral site game - not on chart
exhibition game...doesn't count
Yeah, it was the next column. Got cut off when I did the screencap.
Yeah I know I was unsuccessfully trying to be funny. Lol. I figured neutral site was another column.
Key Player's Log
Day 37
One of these days, we're going to let an ACC team score more than one field goal in a game.
Hype package has been received. Awareness is returning. Horse on a Treadmill tee currently undefeated.
After sleeping on it, I'm with Fuente: great hard fought win, but many more goals this season.
We are just 2-0 in conference. 6 more conference games plus Notre Dame.
We are no more in control of our own destiny in the ACC than we were in week one.
At least we have the same level of control, which is a better position than we were in after 2 ACC games the last two years.
BC and UNC can't say the same.
Even though the Hoos have the same conference record, I don't think you can say they are in charge of their own destiny.
That's a bad team that needs to play beyond themselves, and hope for their opponent to play poorly, to win any of their remaining conference games.
Only VT, Miami and UVA are in control of their destiny in the Coastal.
VT is in a good place, but still need to put in the work.
Or 1-0 two times!
Quote from our QB.
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/gamedayfinal100816/washington-huskies-texas-aggies-rising-ranks-college-football-playoff-contenders
Same article different section under Stats That Matter.
Impact performce nominee.
I'm glad to see that some of the players are seeing what was said by the ESPNU crew this morning. They were hyping UNC all last week, but now they're choosing to act like we haven't won against anyone important. I agree that we'll continue to see what we are made with time, but give us some credit, come on...
This same argument was used against us in '99.
"Who have they beaten?"
Everyone. By 30+.
Keep dismantling our competition, eventually they can't deny us anymore.
And unlike '99, we only have to be top 4 to get a chance to play for the title.
I saw that also. It was ridiculous. That narrative is so over done. "Miami and Florida State have some DUDES." Okay. Continue glossing over the fact that Louisville beat FSU and the DUDES by 50 and the fact that UNC also beat FSU. Both of them seemed to only have seen the score to the UT game. Saying we, "looked like we didn't belong" out there. Lol the one guy said we came out flat despite the fact we outgained UT 200-10 and were up 14-0 through one quarter. Neither of those guys have watched us play a game, I guarantee it.
Losing to a good team at a neutral site isn't the path to the NCG. You have to lose - at home - to a 6-6 team.
Jason Sehorn is too busy staring in the mirror to actually watch the football games.
That espnU crew is pretty bad. I still watch it, because it's college football coverage on Sunday morning, but they are ESPN's C team for sure
48% is higher than I thought, but it's obvious yesterday was a huge win. Can't imagine what the outlook is if Miami was to lose Saturday.
I'm just happy 8-0 in conference is still on the table and I'm not having to pull for team X to lose so we can sneak in the ACCCG
And I would be really, really happy if I had an undefeated conference record to celebrate that didn't happen in the same year we shit the bed against JMU.
Let's see, let's see...J, M, U.....nope. Sorry. Don't remember that. Nothing coming up.
Cooooooaaaaastaaaaaaaaal... Come out to plaaaaaayaaaaaaaay
This was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the Thread Topic.
Just watched the Craig vs Debo fight from Friday where Brad Kaayas mom Felicia got man handled by Debo and then Craig beat him up haha. Miami is going to be Felicia and Virginia Tech is going to be Debo in 2 Thursdays from now. If the game was played on Friday as bad as I hate Friday games it would be so fitting!
After this we can go to the ACCCG and fight against the white trash version of Debo...Dabo!
Just watched a replay of the unc game. There are many things we are not very good at.
Not sure that's the game to be evaluating our talent. Just staying upright is a challenge on a soaked field never mind making clean cuts. What impressed me though is our ability to adapt to the weather and play to win it.